Treadle dust-catcher.



O. Y. SGHNERING. TRBADLE DUST GATCHER. APPLICATION FILED- AUG. 27, 1913.

1,097,731. Patented May 26, 1914.

COLUMBIA PLAN c.

the piano casing; Fig. 3

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OTTO Y. SCHNERING, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 GEORGE P. BENT COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

TREADLE DUST-CATCI-IER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 26, 1914.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, OTTO YOUNG Sormnn- ING, a citizen of the United States, residmg at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Treadle Dust- Catchers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to pianos and is intended to provide a dust catcher for the treadles of piano player mechanism and 1t consists in the matters hereinafter described and then pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of the bottom action of a piano player mechanism showing my invention, parts being broken away with the treadles in their outward position for operating the player mechanism; Fig. 2 1s a similar view showing the treadles folded into is a sectional view of the dust catcher and one of its standards, and Fig. 4 is a plan view of the dust catcher.

In the drawings the reference numeral 5 indicates in general the lower portion of a piano provided with a pneumatic player mechanism, 6 is the pedal board, and 7 is the upright sounding board. The piano is provided with the usual feeder pumps 8 and treadles 9 hinged to the treadle bar 10 and connected by any suitable link mechanism to the feeder pumps. The bar and treadles are adapted to be folded into and out of the piano casing the bar resting on the floor in front of the piano when the player mecha nism is to be used as shown in Fig. 1 and the tops of the treadles being positioned above the pedal board when they are folded into the piano as shown in Fig. 2. The

means to carry and support the bar and treadles may be of any suitable form, such for example as the treadle arms 11 which are pivoted upon the standards 12 on the feeders and the outer portions 13 of the jointed links having their pivots at 14; and supported by the hanger rods 15 which are pivotally mounted in suitable blocks 16 on the feeder pumps and are pivotally connected to the treadle link so that the treadle bar and treadles may be folded inwardly and outwardly to the position shown respectively in Figs. 1 and 2. WVhen the treadles are folded inwardly they are turned over end for end so that the edges which are uppermost in their outer or playing position are downwardly directed or lowermost in their inner position. On the pedalboardI locate a dust collector or catcher in position below the inner ends of the treadles when the latter are folded into position as shown in Fig. 2. This is preferably made of metal and is in the form of a rectangular pan preferably having its bottom 17 curved or bent upwardly transversely along its length to form a trough with the back along the rear portion of the pan in which the deposits are retained and having its back wall 18 upwardly extended so as to intercept any dirt that may be thrown from the treadles as they are turned to position and direct the same into the body of the pan or trough. The pan may be provided with end walls 19. The pan is made removable preferably by providing its front edge with marginal slots 20 adapted to fit over pins or bolts 21 of suitable upright posts 22 on the pedal board affording shoulders on which the pan rests and so that washers 23 may be clamped down on the pan by suitable thumb nuts 24 threaded on the bolts to hold the pan in place; when the nuts are loosened the pan may be readily slipped off the posts to empty its contents and then returned to position with its slots engaging the bolts to permit the nuts to be set down to position to lock the pan in place.

In using the treadles of inner player devices clust and dirt accumulate upon them, especially where their use is frequent, and heretofore were thrown into the casing as the treadles fell to their inner folded position inside the casing where it was scattered about upon the sounding board and various parts of the player mechanism, but by my invention the dirt and dust slide down the inverted treadles into the pan which may be readily removed to empty its contents.

I claim :T

1. In a piano the combination of the easing, treadles for operating player mechanism, supports upon which the treadles are folded into and out of the piano casing, and a dust catcher removably fastened in the piano casing independently of the treadles and below the inner end of the treadles when the latter are folded into the casing.

2. In a piano the combination of the easing, treadles for operating player mechaalong its front edge uprights in the slots,

nism, supports upon which the treadles are and retaining devices on the uprights. 10 folded into and out of the piano casing, 21 In testimony whereof I affix my signadust pan mounted in the piano casing indeture in presence of two witnesses.

5 pendently of the treadles and below the in- OTTO Y. SCHNERING.

ner end of the treadles when the latter are lVitnesses: folded into the casing and having a trough J. MoRoBERTs, along its rear portion and marginal slots EDITH WILCOX.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

